Writing instrument with adjustable lead



March 1, 1949.

C. R. YOUNGQUIST WRITING INSTRUMENT WITH ADJUSTABLE LEAD Filed Nov. 27, 1944 INVENTOR.

ATT ORA/E2125 Patented Mar. 1, T949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRITING INSTRUMENT WITH ADJUSTABLE LEAD 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to writing instruments adapted to hold and longitudinally project a lead, crayon or analogous stylus from one end thereof for writing purposes.

It is an object of my invention to provide a highly eflicient but greatly simplified pencil or stylus holder of the general class described which will contain a relatively large amount of lead and which may be quickly and easily operated to extend the writing point when the same becomes worn.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a writing instrument of the class described which is particularly well adapted for school or office use and which eliminates the need for complicated and screw actuated lead holding elements moved relatively to the tubular body of the pencil, reducing the structure essentiall to a hollow lead containing body with an open outer end from which the stylus is projected, an ejector a element, finger operated and slidable in said body and a simple clamping mechanism for retaining the lead in a predetermined projected position.

Another object is to provide in a simplified device of the class described, a means for indicating the amount of stylus remaining in the barrel or body of the device.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig, 1 is a side elevation showing an embodiment of my invention with the point of the lead projected for writing;

Fig. 2 is an opposite side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. l with the clamping cap, ejector and lead removed;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the ejector slider detached.

My improved writing instrument comprises an elongated, lead-holding body 8 which as shown, is integrally formed but may be constructed from two or more strips or pieces having a straight cylindrical barrel 8a which extends preferably throughout the greater part of the length of body 8 and to the extreme outer end and which is adapted to accommodate leads ranging from slightly smaller to considerably smaller diameter therein, A longitudinal ejector-accommodating slot 8b is formed along one side of body 8 extending diametrically into communication with the lead barrel 8a and extendin throughout the full length of the barrel to the extreme outer or writing end thereof.

The outer end of body 8 is diminished preferably by outward tapering to provide a conical end which, as shown in Fig. 3, is bifurcated through a cooperation of the longitudinal slot 81) with a second and shorter longitudinal slot 8d which extends from the extremity of the body rearwardly to a point a: disposed inwardly some distance of the said extremity, say from a half to one inch in total length.

The bifurcated outer end of the body 8 forms a pair of resilient gripping fingers 8e between which the outer portion of a lead or. stylus may be clamped in an operative, somewhat projected position. To efiect said gripping action, I provide a clamping cap 9, telescoped over the outer end portion of body 8 and having an outer frustoconical wedging end 9a, conforming in inner contour to the conical exterior contour 8c of the outer end of the body. The extremity of the end So of the clamping cap is open and circular in cross section and of a diameter preferably to permit projection of the extremities of th gripping fingers 8e for a slight distance therebeyond.

Clamping cap 9 is provided with a longitudinal slot (or slots) 91) extending from its rear end forwardly through about half of its length, said slot being preferably of slightly greater width than the ejector receiving slot 8b of the body and being longitudinally in line therewith. The cap 9 preferably is provided with a beaded or otherwise outturned inner edge to facilitate outward sliding action of the cap relative to the body for clampreleasing purposes.

The end of body 8 opposite from the stylus end may if desired, be provided with a conventional eraser holding ferrule ID in the outer end of which, a plug-like eraser element II is detachably mounted.

My instrument is loaded with one or more sections of lead or other stylus material from the open or writing end thereof, the barrel or longitudinal chamber 8a being adapted to contain lead of much greater length than that of the usual mechanical pencil, An ejector element in the form of a beaded slider l 2, is mounted in the body extending radially thereof through the slot 81) and having a beaded abutment end l2a of cylindrical shape and of a diameter to afford adequate clearance for free sliding movement in the barrel. The intermediate portion of ejector I 2 is in the form of a relatively thin web 12b which connects the abutment end lZa with the external manipulating end I20 which may also be in the form of a cylindrical bead and which is disposed longitudinally of the body just outwardly of the slot 81).

In operating my device, to project a point or stylus, the clamping cap is slid forwardly, slightly by using the thumb against the beaded inner edge of cap 9, the action releasing the gripping of the lead by the gripping fingers 86. Thereafter, with the thumb of the same hand, the ejector slider l2 may be slid a short distance toward the writing end of the body through manipulation of the external end |2e and thereafter, the clamping cap retracted to againclamp the lead in the projected position.

When the pencil is not in use or is carried, the lead may be protected by releasing the'gripping elements by sliding cap 9 retracting the ejector and thereby causing the lead with the pencil inverted to drop into non-projecting position entirely enclosed within the cap and body.

The position of the ejector abutted against the rear end of the lead or seriesof lead will always indicate the extent to which the barrel is filled.

From'the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple, inexpensive and highly efficient pencil or stylus holding writing instrument adapted for wide general use and particularly well adapted for school and oflice use and capable of accommodating leads varying considerably in diameter.

It will of course, be understood that various 1 changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions without departing from the scope of my invention.

Where hereafter, in the claims, the term lead is used it is used in its broad sense to include any body having a longitudinal, radially extending slot in one side thereof communicating withsaid chamber and having its outer end portion slotted diametrically with reference to said chamber and longitudinal slot to bifurcate said outer end portion, said outer end portion having a conical external wedging surface, a clamping cap telescoped over the outer end of said body, and having a complementary internal wedging surface adapted to engage said first mentioned conical surface, a slidable ejector element extending through said longitudinal slot :and having an abutment disposed within said chamber whereby lead may be projected outwardly of said chamber, said cap having a cylindrical portion for resiliently engaging said body, said portion being slotted in alignment with the longitudinal slot in said body.

2. Alead-holding writing instrument comprising an integral cylindrical body having an axial chamber therethrough for receiving a lead, said body having a longitudinal radially extending slot in one side thereof communicating with said axial chamber and having its outer end portion slotted diametrically with reference to said chamber and said longitudinal slot to bifurcate said 1 outer end to form gripping fingers, a longitudi- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in .the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 638,923 Grover Dec. 12, 1899 861,052 Pintz July.23, .1907

1,041,926 Werner Oct. 22, 1912 1,307,159 Steelreath -June .17, 1919 1,679,382 Sjobring Aug. .7, .1928 

